House of Marionne

Feb 15, 2026 4:51 PM

Author:J. Elle

House of Marionne

AN INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER PHENOMENON . . .

'Full of magic and intrigue . . . the perfect escape for fans of fantasies that straddle the edge of our world and transport readers to dazzling, deceptive, and unexpected places' STEPHANIE GARBER

ENROL SOMONE YOU LOVE INTO THE DARK AND DANGEROUS HOUSE OF MARIONNE . . .

Quell Marionne has lived her entire life on the run, all in order to hide the deadly

magic that flows through her veins.

She was born cursed with Toushana - a perilous dark magic.

And the sentence for having it? Death . . .

When her secret is discovered by a merciless assassin, Quell fears time is running out.

There is only one place that can save her: The House of Marionne. Run by her estranged grandmother, the school trains their students to enter The Order, a society of magical elites. Quell knows this may be the key to burying her forbidden magic forever.

But if her Toushana is discovered, she will be killed.

Soon Quell realises that hiding who you are is even harder, especially when she meets the handsome, brooding Jordon.

And it isn't long before she's forced to choose between her true nature and everyone she's grown to love.

Brimming with ballgowns and betrayal, magic and mystery, decadence and darkness, House of Marionne is perfect for readers who crave morally grey characters, irresistible romance and dark academia.

Reviews

Full of magic and intrigue, House of Marionne is perfect escape for fans of fantasies that straddle the edge of our world and transport readers to dazzling, deceptive, and unexpected places.

—— Stephanie Garber, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Ballad of Never After

With House of Marionne, J.Elle lures you through a portal and into an elaborate, enthralling world of magic and monsters and mayhem, where the twists and turns take you-and her characters-places you never expected to go.

—— Sabaa Tahir, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the An Ember in the Ashes series

Inventive, evocative, and epic. House of Marionne is a dazzling magical thrill ride.

—— Karen M. McManus, #1 New York Times bestselling author of One of Us Is Lying

House of Marionne is one of the most original fantasies I've ever read. J. Elle has created a lush and beautifully romantic world that is as magical as it is dangerous.

—— Nicola Yoon, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Sun is Also a Star

From the first page, House of Marionne feels like stepping into an intoxicating dream of magic, beauty, and shadowy secrets, one that's as dazzling as it is imaginative. With a must-read blend of romance, loveable characters, and suspense, this story is a glittering triumph.

—— Alexandra Bracken, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Lore

An absolute delight. House of Marionne is the book I always looked for and never found as a young Black girl. Elle crafts a series opener that interweaves sparkling romance, dynamic characters, and a bracing plot to tell a story that is both vivid and heartfelt.

—— Ayana Gray, New York Times-bestselling author of the Beasts of Prey trilogy

House of Marionne glitters with magic, deception, and betrayal. Readers will be swept away by Elle's glamorous world in this enchanting series opener.

—— Rachel Griffin, New York Times bestselling author of The Nature of Witches

The forbidden love story of my wildest dreams. House of Marionne is going to delight not only fantasy readers, but romance lovers of all ages!

—— Ali Hazelwood, New York Times bestselling author

A sweeping fantasy brimming with magic, secrets, and romance. House of Marionne gripped me from the first page, and never let go. An enchanting, mesmerizing gem of a book you don’t want to miss

—— Alex Aster, #1 New York Times Best Selling author of Lightlark

House of Marionne is a captivating contemporary fantasy that’s sure to enchant readers from the start. Perfect for fans of magical boarding schools, dark secrets, and books with glittering atmosphere

—— Kerri Maniscalco, #1 New York Times bestselling author

House of Marionne is both a page-turner and a story that takes its time to build a rich, magical world and sympathetic characters. I held my breath from page one. J. Elle has outdone herself

—— Marie Lu, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Legend series

House of Marionne is bloodthirsty, magical, and an absolute blast. Once you're inside its glittering world of dangerous deals and wonderfully tactile magic, you won't want to leave.

—— Melissa Albert, New York Times bestselling author of the Hazel Wood series

A darkly tantalizing tale of intrigue, glamor, and romance

—— Amélie Wen Zhao, New York Times bestselling author of Song of Silver, Flame Like Night

Elle interweaves threads of loneliness, love, and pride to compose an intriguing tapestry of a loyal girl aching for someplace to belong. The magic system and worldbuilding feel both classic and surprising, lending the narrative an air of familiarity and delivering unexpected plot twists that will excite readers up to the very last page

—— Publishers Weekly

An undeniably rich sense of magic pervades this fantasy that treads familiar territory with aplomb... A strong atmosphere marks this series opener that will draw in genre fans

—— Kirkus Reviews

I couldn't put The Whispers down. It held me by my throat the entire way and left me in awe of Audrain's talent and her ability to put the female experience so ruthlessly, so painfully and so beautifully into words. She is exceptional at her craft, one of the best, and her work should be read religiously and consistently by all. I can't recommend this book enough

—— Salma El-Wardany, BBC Radio London

A punchy page-turner about motherhood, sacrifice and the huge expectations we force on to women

—— Good Housekeeping

Ashley Audrain writes about motherhood and how it feels to be a woman today with a fearlessness few can muster. Every time I turned a page, I thought: yes! This is why I read--to connect, to feel seen, to be confronted with my deepest fears, and, of course, to go on a breathtakingly suspenseful ride while doing it

—— Chandler Baker, New York Times bestselling author of The Husbands

Ashley Audrain has a profound understanding of how thin the line between good and evil can be. THE WHISPERS leads readers past the carefully composed facade of Harlow Street to dig, unflinchingly, into themes of motherhood, fidelity, privilege and complicity, resulting in a novel that not only delivers on the promise of its taut, explosive and page-turning plot-but redefines the very idea of what a thriller is and can be. Daring, incisive, and exquisitely written, Audrain has proven herself a force like no other

—— Courtney Summers, New York Times bestselling author of Sadie

A cracking psychological thriller that keeps you guessing to the final pages. Thought-provoking, gripping, worthy of all the praise

—— Heat

A chilling psychodrama about motherhood and community

—— i

The Whispers held me in its grip from the first page until the final, gasp-worthy line - a raw, provocative, mesmerising thriller, charting the darkest psychological contours of motherhood with devastating precision. Audrain writes with such unsettling honesty and I found it impossible to tear myself away from her characters. Fans of The Push will not be disappointed!

—— Katherine Faulkner, author of Greenwich Park

A tense tale about motherhood, friendship and betrayal

—— Sun

I was blown away by The Push, and found myself equally enthralled by The Whispers

—— Prima

A brilliant beach read of a thriller that you're likely to chomp through in a single sitting

—— Cambridge Edition

Her books are quickly becoming a must read

—— Woman's Weekly

Astonishingly powerful... Truly stunning

—— Ruth Jones

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